ON May 22, 2024, the House of Representatives approved House Bill 9349 reinstituting absolute divorce in the country. The bill named Absolute Divorce Act, had 131 affirmative votes, 109 negative votes, and 20 abstentions.
On May 24, 2024, Bishop Julito B. Cortes of the Diocese of Dumaguete expressed his gratitude to all who voted against the Divorce Bill.
The bishop’s sentiment was quoted in an article published by Rappler as he commended the legislators who upheld the sanctity of marriage, which he said was a reflection of deep Christian convictions, and as they defended marriage as an institution that cannot be dissolved by human law.
On the same day, former Supreme Court Chief Justice Hilario Davide, Jr. also issued a statement:
“The representatives who voted for Absolute Divorce have defied our Lord Jesus Christ’s teaching in today’s Gospel reading, Mark 10:1-12. We pray that our Senators align with Jesus and our Constitution when they review this bill. Section 2 of Article XV of our Constitution on the FAMILY asserts that ‘Marriage, as an inviolable social institution, is the foundation of the family and shall be protected by the State.’ This bill is unconstitutional.”
Fr. Jerome Secillano, Executive Secretary of Public Affairs for the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines, added, “Divorce won’t solve abusive marriages.”
Another exorcist priest strongly condemned the bill, declaring, “The Divorce Bill is a rebellion against God. Those who favor it favor hell. Divorce is yes to the devil. May God forgive the congressmen who favor the devil over Him.”
Opponents argue that a failing marriage should not justify divorce. They contend that marital issues indicate the need for maturity in entering marriage and affirm the Church’s role in pre-marital counseling. They also emphasize existing legal provisions for addressing oppressive marriages, including legal separation, annulment, and remedies under the Anti-Violence against Women and Children Act (Republic Act No. 9262) and the Family Code’s Article 36 on psychological incapacity.
Those of us who believe that divorce is not the solution to problematic marriages, continue to assert that the pain purportedly suffered because of a failing marriage is more imagined than real if one does not utilize available legal remedies. We argue that divorce discourages couples from working through their differences and it undermines the concept of marriage as a lifelong commitment.
Furthermore, we highlight the blatant adverse effects of divorce on children, who may experience distress and trauma from their parents’ separation and custodial battles. They warn of long-term societal impacts, including increased mental health issues and criminal behavior among affected children.
From an economic perspective, divorce is costly and reduces economic growth by increasing the need for separate housing and reducing household income, which in turn diminishes purchasing power and affects businesses.
As a Roman Catholic, I believe that divorce is unconstitutional, immoral, and destructive to Filipino culture and families. It sanctions promiscuity, leads to broken families, and harms children through traumatic custody battles.
We must remember the biblical principle that marriage is a sacred covenant: “For this reason, a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh…. So they are no longer two but one flesh. Therefore, what God has joined together, no human being must separate” (Matthew 10:2-9).
As president of the Diocesan Council of the Laity, I have reiterated our stance against divorce in various forums, including a letter to former Senate President Koko Pimentel in 2018, supported by a statement signed by about 12,000 individuals. Our position remains firm — the Absolute Divorce Act is against our Christian faith, unnecessary given existing legal remedies, and devastating to Philippine society. We strongly oppose this bill as anti-marriage, anti-family, and anti-children, in agreement with former Chief Justice Hilario Davide’s view that it is “clearly unconstitutional.”
We must uphold the sanctity of marriage as intended by God, ensuring that what He has joined together, no human can separate.
